From time to time, I come across interesting websites, helping to spread the message that we all need to conserve. Some of these resources are wonderful for graphic designers who wish to design “Greener.” Since we work with our clients to produce quite a lot of promotional materials, packaging, advertising, posters and more, we all need to do our part to institute eco-friendly design & printing techniques.
Here are a few resources I’ve discovered:
Unisourcegreen.com – A resource for environmentally-friendly products and specialized services distributed by Unisource Worldwide, Inc., providing a GREEN advantage. Visit us often as Unisource expands our green products and services.
Inhabit – Greening Graphic Design – From their site: “The green path of the future involves getting intimate with your favorite printer.”
“…While we wish it were as simple as specifying ‘recycled’ paper and soy inks, we were surprised and delighted to learn that the greenest printers and print technology innovators have moved beyond false promises of simple cure-alls. Instead, each link in the supply chain is coming forward with their own sustainable solutions, from Processless Printing Plates to eliminating the use of VOCs in inks and coatings.”
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Design Can Change – (This site is Flash) From their site: “Design Can Change is simple.It works on the belief that our industry can make positive change by working together. Use this resource as a starting point to help bring our community together to encourage sustainable practices.”
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Ecofont – I first read about this new font in National Geographic, and thought this was a great idea, so I visited the website and downloaded the font.
From their site: “Appealing ideas are often simple: how much of a letter can be removed while maintaining readability? After extensive testing with all kinds of shapes, the best results were achieved using small circles. After lots of late hours (and coffee) this resulted in a font that uses up to 20% less ink. Free to download, free to use. There is also a print solution for business environments: Ecofont Professional.”
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Design it Greener – From their site: “Designitgreener is an all-inclusive resource for the graphic, packaging, industrial, interior and architectural design industries. At designitgreener.com, we’re helping designers stay informed and educated on the latest and greatest in all realms of green design by providing news, tips and advice, a glossary of common green terms and a green design gallery where designers will find inspiration to help begin and continue to make green choices a part of their everyday design practices.”
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Green Press Initiative – From their site: “Green Press Initiative is committed to advancing sustainable patterns of production and consumption within the U.S. book and newspaper industries and within the paper industry at large. GPI also advances policy innovations related to paper and climate change and recycling and incubates pioneering new strategies for market transformation.”
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Re-Nourish – From their site:“…Re-nourish is here to help designers sort it all out. Sustainability, at its heart, is a framework for developing economic, social, and environmental systems that meet the needs of both current and future generations.”